Dear James,
Thank you for your message.
While I acknowledge your apology and the offer of a £50 e-voucher, I must clearly state that this does not resolve the matter and is not acceptable as a replacement for the reimbursement to which we are legally entitled.
As already communicated in our case, the cancellation of our Eurostar journey on 23 December resulted in a rescheduling to 24 December, making an overnight stay unavoidable. Following advice from your customer service team, we submitted all receipts for the additional expenses incurred, including hotel accommodation (minimum €150) as well as food and drinks.
Under EU Rail Passenger Rights Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007, Article 18, when a delay or cancellation requires an overnight stay, the railway undertaking is legally obliged to provide or reimburse:
Hotel accommodation where necessary, and
Meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
This reimbursement obligation is statutory and cannot be replaced by a goodwill voucher, nor waived unilaterally by closing the case. An e-voucher offered as an “exceptional gesture” does not fulfil Eurostar’s legal obligations under EU law.
I therefore formally reject the voucher offer and request:
Reopening of this case if it has been closed, and
Reimbursement of the documented hotel costs (minimum €150) and reasonable food and drink expenses already submitted.
Please confirm in writing that the case remains under review and advise when the reimbursement will be processed. Should this matter not be resolved accordingly, I will consider escalating the complaint through the appropriate consumer protection and rail regulatory channels.
I trust Eurostar will handle this in compliance with its legal obligations and look forward to your prompt response.
Yours sincerely,
Liesa Delestinne
